TV chef uneducated advice

[Bakersdozen]

I was watching The Chew on ABC last Friday.  One of the hosts, Michael Symon, was teaching two audience members to make fritters with a honey/orange juice sauce.  One of the ladies asked what to do with crystalized honey.  He told her to microwave it.  I couldn't believe this MasterChef, overpaid television chef was so uninformed.  I have tried to find an email address for him, the show or the network with out any luck.  He should be corrected.  There is a lot of misinformation out there.

[tbonekel]

I guess it's more of a preference than anything. I don't like to microwave a lot of things,  but that doesn't mean you can't microwave it. He is a master chef but he's probably also a pat of a generation that has never lived without a microwave.

[Les]

TV chefs advice I take with a grain of salt.  Especially after I watched an episode by Michael Chiarello telling us not to break an egg on the side of the mixing bowl because the shell might have bacteria on it.  Then in the next scene, he proceeds to break the egg on the bowl......I fell out laughing at the idiot.  He should tell you not to break the egg on the bowl because you might get pieces of shell in the bowl....duh.

[Riverrat]

Though I wouldn't recommend it but I do know somw who use the defrost setting on a microwave to take honey back to liquid.  It doesn't get near as hot and they claim it works well

[Alleyyooper]

We bought stickers to put on our honey jars/jugs and it says to put in hot water or micro wave to bring it back to liquid. It also warned not to have a metal lid on the jar.
Here is a link to the Chews site. No way to contact them except thru face book twitter and some others.

http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew

What a horrible show to watch in the first place. They all talk at once while some one else is talking. Make messes other people have to cleanup. Far better cooking shows to watch on PBS just about any time of day or night.

   Al

[Bakersdozen]

We bought stickers to put on our honey jars/jugs and it says to put in hot water or micro wave to bring it back to liquid. It also warned not to have a metal lid on the jar.
Here is a link to the Chews site. No way to contact them except thru face book twitter and some others.

http://abc.go.com/show s/the-chew

What a horrible show to watch in the first place. They all talk at once while some one else is talking. Make messes other people have to cleanup. Far better cooking shows to watch on PBS just about any time of day or night.

   Al

Al, thanks for the link to the chew.  It is a bad show and there are a lot better on PBS.  I am just going stir crazy although things are looking up.  I placed an order yesterday for granulation labels.  Every time I sell a bottle of honey, I try to educate the buyer on how to liquefy the honey in case of granulation.  Now I can let the label do the talking for me. 

[riverbee]

" Now I can let the label do the talking for me." 

i use them, saves me from explaining over and over and over and over, and.............

" I have tried to find an email address for him, the show or the network with out any luck.  He should be corrected.  There is a lot of misinformation out there. "

try this bakers, it's through his website:

CONNECT - MICHAEL SYMON

[Bakersdozen]

Thanks riverbee.  I contacted him through your link and at least I feel better.  I have to admit that the National Honey Board suggests microwaving or using a warm water bath to liquefy naturally crystallized honey. http://www.honey.com/honey-locator/forms-of-honey/ I was surprised to read that.  Microwaving can be so uncertain as everyone's microwave is different.  Microwaves can also heat unevenly, scorching one area and cold in another.

[Alleyyooper]

There are micro wave ovens that heat evenly they are Inverter typeMicrowave Oven We use ours a lot in fact it stopped working a week ago come Sunday so we went and bought a new one Monday. First order of busniess once unpacked and set up was to heat a cup of water and take the temp on several setting so we know what it is doing.
Our old one and this new one had/has power settings also from 20% to full 1250 watts of power.

   Al

[Bakersdozen]

In the For What It's Worth category...I got a personalized response back from Michael Symon Restaurants.  They thanked me and said they would pass the info on. 

Al,  Our microwave bit the dust 3 days ago.  It happened to be the big Amazon sale day, so I ordered a new one and received it today.  Works just fine and I didn't have to carry it home. 

[apisbees]

Micro works for melting crystals but unless you are very patient and watch the heat being transferred to the honey it is easy to cook and carmalise the honey and you will darken it a shade or two.
When golden Amber and dark honeys are entered into the honey competitions, we judges look for signs that the Color of the honey was not achieved through heating.

[riverbee]

"In the For What It's Worth category...I got a personalized response back from Michael Symon Restaurants.  They thanked me and said they would pass the info on."

good on you baker's for doing so. 

[Alleyyooper]

I just don't see who is the uneducated my self.

Even the National Honey Board says you can bring honey back to liquid with a micro wave. If is for use on your table Do you really care if it may darken if you over heat it?
Much ado about nothing.


   Al